bedrooms Archives - Emily A. Clark

Getting Back-to-School Ready with IKEA

Jun132018

I know it’s crazy to think of going back to school when we literally just got out for Summer, but I also know how quickly these next months will fly by and that many of you are already scheming up dorm room and first apartment decor for your big kids. I’m teaming up with IKEA as one of their brand ambassadors to share how we recently finished up my oldest daughter’s room and to hopefully pass along an idea or two that you can use, as well.

Our inspiration was this beautiful (and ever Pinterest-popular) studio apartment designed by Lauren McGrath featured in Domino magazine. I love this layout because it offers plenty of storage on one wall and still leaves her floor space. We used a pair of the HEMNES bookcases which were a perfect fit with her (thrifted) daybed. (The IKEA FYRESDAL is another good option.) If you have less room to work with, the single HEMNES bookcase might be a better fit.

No daybed? An elevated twin mattress will work, too, and can double as a sofa/study space.

It was important to give her some hidden storage so we added several of the gray KVARNVIK boxes on her shelves and these fabric DRÖNA cubes fit perfectly turned sideways. (We also added more under her bed for out-of-season clothing storage.)

I left the shelves pretty open so that she can add her own personal touches and just picked up a few pretty vases from IKEA’s GRADVIS collection. I also added color to her neutral bedding (the TRÄDASTER duvet is a good alternative) with super affordable GURLI pillow covers. The colors worked great with the artwork that was already above her bed.

The GÖRLÖSE rug is super affordable and does a good job of sectioning off this part of the space. (A trick that may be more needed in a shared dorm room!) I floated a KVISTBRO table (with a removable lid for more possible storage) in front of the bed that can serve as a nightstand and/or ottoman.

1. RANARP wall spotlight 2. FYRESDAL daybed 3. HEMNES bookcase

4. TRADASTER duvet 5. GURLI pillow cover 6. KVARNVIK box with lid

7. GRADVIS vases 8. KVISTBRO table 9. GÖRLÖSE rug

10. DRÖNA box 11. MELLTORP table 12. BERNHARD chair

I am a Brand Ambassadör for IKEA U.S. This is a sponsored post.

Scaling Down the Design: A Lemon-Inspired Bedroom

Jun72018

If you’ve been on Pinterest for more than a minute lately, you’ve probably come across this amazing nursery designed by Dina Bandman for this year’s San Francisco Decorator Showcase. I thought it would be fun to take on the challenge of “scaling down the design” to make it a pretty guest or girl’s bedroom.

Photography: Christopher Stark

This was a tricky one because that wallpaper and lucite crib are pretty amazing (and pricey) elements. But, I love the idea of taking inspiration from an over-the-top designer room and figuring out ways to use pieces of it in real life. This is my loose translation of the space on a smaller scale.

See my last “Scaling Down the Design” post here.

Give & Take: Amanda’s Bedroom Wall

Oct132016

Amanda’s bedroom has a lot of beautiful elements, but she emailed me saying that this wall just felt unfinished. Not wanting to take away from the pretty headboard, I came up with a couple of different options for how she might add some finishing touches.

I love the blue and white lamps (of course!), but they feel a little short for bedside lighting. In this case, I would double up on the lighting by keeping the lamps and adding some modern swing-arm sconces. (Love the shape of these; they’re like a piece of art themselves.) As for what to hang over the headboard, I have two ideas:

The first option is to keep things super simple by adding a small sunburst mirror. Adds just a touch of gold to tie in the leopard pillow and only accentuates the curve of the headboard without overpowering.

give_take_bedroom wall

My other suggestion would be to use the same sconces but to add a set of three framed art pieces above the bed. (The set I found is 8×10 in size and downloadable from an Etsy seller. Inexpensive and easy!) Hanging the art in an arrangement that mimics the shape of the headboard will make it feel a little taller.

Which look do you do like better?

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